


Phantom AU

by Zilleniose



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Multi, Summary, akira-centric, non-human!Akira, overpowered Akira
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2018-11-18 08:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11287494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zilleniose/pseuds/Zilleniose
Summary: The Metaverse has always been a looming threat in humanity’s peripheral, claiming unsuspecting victims between the fringes of reality. At times, the nightmares that lurk beyond the blackened river can reach into the realm of the living - resulting in catastrophic monsters able to tear down cities and leave naught but death and suffering in their wake.Shadows are the reason we look over our shoulders. Phantoms are the reason we have fear to begin with.✧In which Akira is an inhuman product of the Metaverse, fighting alongside human comrades for the sake of saving the innocent… even if it means being putting his neck out in a world that fears him so immensely, an entire nation wants him dead.[Detailed summary with snippets, not a full-blow fic. Includes art!]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Doing something a little different this time! I haven't the time, energy, patience, nor talent to write an actual fic, but this AU has been stewing in my brain for weeks now, and I wanted to share it with more than just Nicki and [yormgen](http://archiveofourown.org/users/yormgen/pseuds/yormgen). Gives me something to point at if people look at me funny when I post weird art for it.
> 
> Get ready for fluffy monsterboy Akira. This is extremely self indulgent.

**Shadows and the Metaverse**

* * *

 

 The metaverse, and shadows, serve a different purpose. The metaverse is a constant otherworld that exists alongside the human realm, and “pockets” spontaneously erupt that merge the two worlds together for a period of time. Sometimes these pockets are so small they’re inconsequential, sometime’s they’re big enough to engulf an entire city. Portals can also randomly tear open, and are virtually invisible until a victim wanders through (this can result in trapping people inside the Metaverse).

 

Shadows are the beings that reside in the Metaverse. Creatures of pure instinct, born of human desire, both good and bad - but the end result is never favorable for the living. When the barriers between the two worlds are thin (or nonexistent), an amalgamation of human “Desire” in the cognitive world can amass and cling to a person with great desire. This warps the person and creates something even worse than a Shadow - a Phantom, something more monstrous with far more power, and only marginally more intelligent than Shadows.

 

When this happens, it’s called an infection, and the human often exhibits worrisome signs for a short period of time before they succumb to the change, and become animalistic and dangerous. Just like Shadows, Phantoms feed off of the source of both desire and distortion in human hearts: strong emotions, like grief, terror, and pain. So they go after humans as prey, to torment them into creating more “strong emotions” or just straight up eat them, and sometimes go after individuals if a grudge is partially responsible for their mutation. But since they had a human incubator, they’re a constant threat in both the metaverse and the real world, and are often cause for military interference if the human isn’t detained (and… euthanized) before the infection completes. The only solace is that Phantoms are exceedingly rare, and always make national, if not global headlines, even if an Infected person is detained and “taken care of” before any real damage is done.

 

Phantoms, should they retreat into the metaverse, give birth to Palaces. These are nests that can, if left alone, produce more Shadows indefinitely. Thankfully for humans, Phantoms can rarely resist the temptation of tasty human meals, so they don’t usually hide in the metaverse for very long.

 

One other thing: humanity is aware of everything stated above.

 

 

 

**Introduction**

* * *

 

 Diving headfirst into making _Akira’s life sucks primetime hour_ , he gets the standard probation story and gets his butt sent to Tokyo for doing the right thing. He’s already got it pretty rough with like, 2.5 maybe-sorta-friends after a few weeks of getting bullied by staff or frightfully ignored by practically everyone else at school.

 

By the time Akira suddenly shows signs of being Infected, he’s already knee deep in denial of “this can’t possibly be my life” that he just keeps hoping he’ll wake up from this nightmare soon. They were just headaches, just dizzy spells, just coughing up blood and hallucinations and weird cravings for that raw beef Sojiro bought for curry. It would go away once he woke up.

 

(Not like changes in cognition weren’t already on-par with being Infected, but Akira had even more reason to be wishing it all away)

 

And to make matters worse, his only two friend don’t show up in class the next day. By the end of school, he overhears Kawakami worriedly talking on the phone, scoffing that of course _Sakamoto_ is another story, but not hearing a thing from Takamaki all day could be cause for alerting police at this point.

 

As evening approaches and his texts go unanswered, Akira starts to scour the few places they’ve hung out before. Maybe he’s just being a worrywart, but this just doesn’t sit right with him, and missing people can often end in tragedy if there’s metaverse activity in the area. There were no reported sightings of dimension pockets opening, but they often slip under human radar.

 

After some frantic searching, he finally finds a weak cognitive area in the backstreets near the school. Or rather, he finds a mousehole and tears it open.

 

He ends up finding both Ann and Ryuji, who have both been hiding since that morning, having slipped into the metaverse and were unable to find a way out. They barely escaped a handful of Shadows, covered in cuts and bruises and are downright exhausted both mentally and physically, but they’re alive.

 

As Akira attempts to lead them back to the entrance he found (he made, he tries to ignore that fact), they’re ambushed. They keep scrambling for the exit, knowing that the Shadows wouldn’t be able to follow them into the real world if there’s no Palace nearby - but with their lifeline just barely out of reach, they’re stopped as hulking masses barricade their escape route.

 

The sight of Ann mere seconds from demise is what finally pushes Akira’s Infection over the edge. In a flurry of pure unbridled rage, Akira takes on a monstrous form a bit akin to Arsene and tears through the Shadows like a fox in a hen house, biting into skulls and tearing off limbs.

 

Ann and Ryuji would be a little more relieved if they weren’t _even more royally fucked than before_ . They debate trying to run while Akira is distracted, but they’re conflicted - that’s their _friend_ , but Phantoms are even _worse_ than Shadows, and not only that, Phantoms can freely traverse to and from the real world. Running wouldn’t really do much good at this point. Before, they at least had a light at the end of the tunnel, but now their fate truly seems sealed.

 

Except… Phantoms don’t usually attack Shadows. Especially not when there are humans around. And Phantoms _certainly don’t shield humans from Shadow attacks_.

 

When the last of the Shadows are taken out, Akira actually calms down. Settles near Ann and Ryuji, and… doesn’t make a move to attack them. When Ann makes an effort to reach out and touch him, he actually appears to become even more placated, and eventually his form dissipates back into his human self - just unconscious.

 

They end up hauling Akira back to Ann’s place since her parents are out of the country, telling Sojiro he’s with Ryuji, and Ryuji reluctantly lying to his mom that he’s staying at Akira’s place. They can’t tell anyone else what happened, or Akira would be detained and likely euthanized, even if… he appears to be human again? Which doesn’t happen? When an Infected becomes a Phantom, there’s no “changing back”, though there have been some instances of shapeshifting Phantoms. But that doesn’t really seem plausible since Akira is out cold.

 

Once he comes to, it’s incredibly tense and awkward since Ann and Ryuji want to trust Akira, but are also trying to be rational. However, Akira is completely and entirely aware, able to talk and recall things like any person would - something that should be impossible for a Phantom that’s almost entirely base instincts, like a ravenous animal.

 

They end up figuring out, little by little, that Akira actually _did_ succumb to the Infection, and is indeed a Phantom now. How he was able to retain his human self is a mystery (at first). He’s also able to hit various levels of transformation, losing more and more of his rational thinking the more monstrous and powerful he becomes - but ultimately, he still seems to be more interested in Shadows as targets.

 

So a group of teens that can’t take their secret to the authorities lest their friend be killed… but now have a tool to freely enter the metaverse at will, along with an extremely powerful ally for fighting. What else is there to do but to rescue those who have fallen into the Metaverse, destroy Palaces, and perhaps even end up changing society for the better?

 

 

 

**Akira Kurusu**

* * *

 

Despite his awful predicament, Akira is somehow able to continue going to school and keep his new status as Phantom under wraps. Keeping up with mundane tasks, social activities, and forming close bonds helps ground him, makes him feel more human. Besides, if he stopped going to school or otherwise suddenly changed up his routine, it would be pretty suspicious. He has more reason than anyone else in the Phantom Thieves to keep his identity a secret.

 

 

 _[Kept secret from everyone but Morgana, at least at first]_ \- Akira hasn’t actually lost all sense of bloodlust for humans, he’s just really good at controlling it due to keeping most of his humanity intact. He’ll often wallow in guilt over how he’ll subconsciously hover around people who are upset or fearful, how he’s drawn to the smell of blood and sounds of distress for less than chivalrous reasons. But thankfully, he’s got a really good reign on his instincts. ……. Hopefully.)

_[Unfortunately discovered on accident in real world, and first intentional Metaverse trip with Ryuji and Ann]_ \- While Akira is special in that he can go back and forth between his Phantom and human form, it’s not an all-or-nothing deal!

 

He can hit just about every in-between stage of transformation, depending on the situation. During long expeditions into the Metaverse, this change is often gradual, but under certain conditions he can “burst” several stages or directly into his full form (like he did in his initial awakening).

 

Things like hunger (of a Shadow-esque variety), anger, desperation, and prolonged exposure to Desire (meaning time in the Metaverse, essentially) can all contribute to his transformation. This is something he has to be careful of in the real world too, to a lesser extent.

 

In addition to this, the further along he is in his transformation, the more instinct-driven he becomes, and less rational. Somewhere around the 40% mark, he loses the ability to speak, and can only make Shadow-like growls and territorial noises. He can still understand basic instructions and overall needs of his teammates though, so he’s not a lost cause - and he still doesn’t turn on them.

 

So Metaverse expeditions and Palace raids tend to shift overtime each journey. “Joker” is still considered their leader (he’s their powerhouse, after all), so he tends to lead as normal in the beginning. As he starts to regress in his ability to think critically, however… well, it’s a bit difficult to control him, and he seems to retain reminders of their objective, so they have to keep following him; but it’s a bit more like corralling an unruly, bloodthirsty attack dog.

_[Somewhere around three-quarters of the way through the story, once all team members but Akechi have been acquired]_ \- Up until this point in time, it was assumed that Akira’s monstrous form was his apex. It made sense, since he never transformed past that. But in truth, that was only his halfway mark into what’s considered his “complete” Phantom form.

 

They don’t learn this the easy way.

 

During a particularly nasty fight with another Phantom, seeing his teammates get injured and backed into a corner makes Akira snap, breaking into his 60% form. This grants him the power needed to take down the Phantom and save his friends - but it also whittles away the last shreds of his consciousness.

 

The reason he had a “limit” to his transformation was subconsciously self-induced, innately aware somewhere within himself that he’d lose enough reason to fight back Shadow-based instincts.

 

Once the Phantom is down, he turns on his friends. They thankfully get through to him before he can kill them, but the damage is astronomical. Even with the magic they’re able to use in the Metaverse with Morgana’s enchantments, they still walk away with enough injuries to send them all to the hospital.

 

Not a single one of them walk away without a permanent scar somewhere on them, and Akira nearly loses himself to despair over the whole ordeal. (A proto-Palace actually forms because of this, which becomes their first major clue that disturbances in the Metaverse aren’t purely “desire” based, but more “distortion” based)

_[Only discovered near endgame]_ \- The true reason for Akira’s abnormal Phantom transformation lies partially in his desires - his strong sense of justice, his passionate belief in what’s right and wrong, and the overwhelming urge to protect the weak. Couple that with an incredibly strong will and heart, and a very specifically odd period of transformation, you have a Phantom who isn’t tainted by humanity’s darker desires.

 

Akira was a victim of happenstance, like all Phantoms - he just happened to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, under some very unfortunate conditions. However, something fundamentally different happened during what could have very easily resulted in another mindless beast (and most likely, a very dead Ann and Ryuji). 

 

Phantoms are what happens when a human becomes tainted with a highly abnormal amount of Desire that can randomly “clump” in the Metaverse. There are a number of things that can make any human more of a magnet to these 1-in-a-million Desire dustbunnies - all stemming from negative emotions. 

 

Upon moving to Tokyo, Akira was weighed down with hurt, betrayal, frustration. He was lonely and scared, depressed and certain his life was going to do nothing but spiral into a well of futility with a criminal record hanging over his head. He did his best to cover it up, appearing more quiet and neutral most often, but his suffering was immense for a terrified, confused teenager. 

 

And, by chance, he just happened to be close enough to a strong cloud of Desire, that in reality could have formed and dispersed within a few seconds if someone like him wasn’t around. As if he wasn’t in enough trouble. 

 

Had the following days passed without incident, Akira probably would have turned into a normal, crazed Phantom. But he didn’t.

 

Instead, even in the midst of his worsening state of mind and body, he worried about his friends. He was able to notice Ann and Ryuji were missing.

 

So he searched, even while he felt disoriented and detached, trying to succumb to a despair magnified by his infection. 

 

And in that crucial moment when the infection bloomed into maturity within him, he wasn’t doing what every other Phantom did upon turning - he wasn’t thinking about himself.

 

All he could think of was saving his friends. 

 

It was that grasp on something intangible - selflessness, kindness, love - that kept his humanity from being completely taken over. 

 

He still only had a fragment of humanity survive however, which is why he becomes more instinct-driven and less capable of rational thinking when completely transformed. He still has every urge a Phantom normally has, but just enough mind to keep from acting on them. His thoughts are very simplified still, ranging from “friend, not food” to “don’t like, I bite it”, which can still lead to problems. 

 

✧----------✧

 

 _[During endgame battle]_ \- Akira achieves his complete Phantom form, which, considering the previous experiences, is justifiably cause for concern. But through the ~magic of friendship~, self acceptance, strong conviction, your standard shounen manga package etc - he retains every ounce of his human consciousness, even the ability to communicate.

 

 

 

**The Phantom Thieves**

* * *

 

First off, their usual base of operations is almost always in more discreet places. They tend to favor Ann’s apartment (nice and spacious, with a constant lack of parents), or one of Haru’s multiple homes around Japan if they can manage squeezing past her body guards. Leblanc is really only less favored in this AU due to the slight lack of privacy in comparison; Akira can be more relaxed and allow his transformation to slip a bit if there’s no risk of anyone walking in on them.

 

✧----------✧

 

 _[Discovered after first Palace raid]_ \- Akira can eat the Desire straight off of another Phantom, leaving the human virtually unharmed, and with a change of heart. He can also do this to an Infected human if they catch them before they transform.

 

This leaves the Phantom Thieves with several objectives:

  * Infiltrate the Metaverse (anytime, anywhere, thanks to Akira being a Phantom) to rescue people who have fallen/wandered into temporary portals and cannot otherwise escape,
  * Seek out Palaces to stop the production of more Shadows that can otherwise kill people who wander into the Metaverse and cause disturbances in the real world,
  * Draw out Phantoms who tend to come rushing to defend their Palaces under siege,
  * Actually _save_ those humans-turned-Phantoms by having Akira harmlessly revert them.



 

Saving an Infected human before full transformation is preferable, but much trickier and often more dangerous since it involves confronting someone in the real world.

 

Why “Thieves” though? Because they still have to wear masks to hide their identities should they be seen, and to quote Ryuji’s bad eventually joke taken seriously - “because we have a _Phantom_ , and we _steal_ people outta the Metaverse!”

 

He really was expecting at least a chuckle out of that one. Alas.

 

 

 

**Morgana**

* * *

 

Morgana’s role is a bit different - since there is no longer a Velvet Room, he is no longer an attendant created by Igor. He is instead a normal cat that, by miraculous chance, somehow amassed enough Desire to become a Phantom.

 

This… never happens. The only things to ever become Phantoms are humans, since Desire _comes_ from humans. It is due to this that a cat like Morgana gains human sapience, since it’s a bit like he’s absorbed some of human consciousness.

 

Morgana doesn’t remember much from before he became a Phantom, as it’s mostly a hazy, dreamy blur. He remembers wanting to protect something important, liking humans, but ultimately feeling a bit lonely. He was in reality, a stray that lived in a quiet town that was friendly to him, but he had no place to truly call “home”. His desire to protect came from witnessing an old lady he was particularly fond of (she fed him fish and treats, would let him sleep on her lap, would pet and talk to him so kindly) suddenly fell very ill, and had to be whisked away to a hospital. Being a cat, all he could tell was that she was in trouble, that she was scared and didn’t feel well, that she was losing her life, and that he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help, wanted to protect, but he wasn’t human. He longed to be able to save her.

 

(At some point, Morgana ends up remembering this. He remembers the town, and is able to find her house again. To his surprise, she’s still alive - albeit weak and living with a nurse and some family now. He visits her often, and he swears she can tell he’s different now.)

 

Like Akira, Morgana has a “normal” form (a cat), and a “Phantom” form (his Metaverse form), and in this AU can access both in either worlds. But for obvious reasons, doesn't use his Phantom form in the real world unless it’s absolutely necessary - though he can get away with it much easier than Akira can, since he’s much smaller.

 

But unlike Akira, Morgana has virtually no bloodlust, perhaps because the amount of Desire he had to absorb to become Infected was much smaller than what a human would have needed. He still gets a kick out of biting Ryuji, though.

 

Morgana also has a unique ability that makes him absolutely vital to the Phantom Thieves - the ability to leech human desire (like Shadows and Phantoms normally would to “feed”) in small, harmless increments, and expel all that energy at once. Normally, this would mean something offensive like an attack or further transformation for a Phantom, but in Morgana’s case, he doesn’t destroy - he _creates_.  Focusing his desire to help the innocent and weak, he can create armor and weapons that work against Shadows, or enchant existing items. Without this, anyone but him and Akira would be almost dead weight in the Metaverse. Though likewise, not everyone can wield these items; they have to have an extremely strong will, and desire that aligns with the creator’s (in this case, Morgana’s). Only those with conviction to help the weak and fight for justice will be able to make use of the items - otherwise, they do nothing.

 

Morgana is also able to talk regardless of who’s been in the Metaverse, so he has to be extra careful! His meowing is that much more amusing to his friends when he has to put on an act.

 

 

 

**Goro Akechi**

* * *

 

Akechi’s role is different too - he’s still an undercover antagonist at first, but is truly misguided with the best intentions, and isn’t a sociopathic murderer.

 

As the idol-like high school detective, his front is working for the police. But he truly works for the department Sae helps manage: MISER (lit. Metaverse Infiltration and Shadow Elimination Research) - a branch that specializes in Metaverse analysis and Shadow extermination. Their methods are still widely considered controversial since they’re often excessively violent (often times resulting in property damage and civilian injury), but are still regarded as one of the only lines of defense against otherwise immortal foes.

 

They are, incidentally, also the people who are called when there’s a possible Phantom suspect.

 

Considering Akechi’s iron will and determination, he makes a prime candidate for their experiments with Metaverse weaponization. He’s one of the only members worldwide that is able to, with the aid of man made technology, materialize armor and weapons to fight Shadows. These skills are considered on par with the materials Morgana creates.

 

Deciding he’d get farther on his own, he tackles tracking down the Phantom Thieves alone, and is open about their vigilante-ism being a potential danger. No one knows their methods, what kind of weapons they have, or what else they could be doing in the Metaverse, since the cognitive world has been theorized to be… potentially exploitable. So far they appear to be saving people who have gone missing (fallen into Metaverse pockets) and have successfully destroyed Palaces - something they only thought could be done by destroying the parent Phantom. But what concerns him is why they’re doing this in secrecy. Without guidance, and by breaking the law, they could be potentially putting even more lives at risk.

 

His investigation of course eventually leads him to Akira and his group of friends, and he becomes convinced they’re the Phantom Thieves, and begins trying to get on their good side much like in canon. He needs proof before he can convict them, after all.

 

It’s during this process that a new piece of information comes to light, after a nearly successful capture operation that lead from Sae’s team inside the Metaverse, to the police outside in the real world. They have blurry, but indisputable evidence that at least one of the Phantom Thieves is an actual Phantom, and has the ability to disguise themself as an ordinary human.

 

An amateur phone video of this goes viral overnight, and the Phantom Thieves’ approval plummets. A band of vigilantes helping people is one thing, but if a Phantom is involved, there _must_ be some ulterior motive. Especially when the Phantom in question is an apparent shapeshifter. The few times ones like that arose, they were particularly deadly, being able to mimic human mannerisms to lure prey much like the hunting tactics of an angler fish.

 

This makes Akechi even more desperate to catch them. The longer this continues, the more a potential body count could be rising. He begins suspecting Akira as the Phantom quite early on, being the sharp detective that he is, noticing tiny little quirks that most people wouldn’t bat an eye over.

 

Eventually, Akechi’s desperation is what leads to the demise of his entire investigation. He follows the group one evening he catches them outside Leblanc, tracking them into the Metaverse. In his attempt to keep up with their pace, he soon finds out that his one man team stands no chance going into the depths the Phantom Thieves do with seven (eight?) people.

 

He becomes overwhelmed by Shadows, and ends up getting his ass saved by a now very much Phantom Akira, and bewildered teammates. Despite just being saved (and the fact that this is always done by Sae’s entire team of over thirty people and military backup), Akechi still attempts to subdue and destroy Akira. He’s pitifully outmatched, but still, Akira barely even hurts him when he instinctively fights back. The moment Akechi is pinned, one of the other Thieves nabs his sword and insists he sit his ass down and have a chat with them.

 

After a load of betrayal and anger and yelling, everyone finally starts to calm down and begin explaining themselves (except Akira, who takes some time to revert after initial transformation). To Akechi’s surprise, everyone is pretty sympathetic and seem to understand where he’s coming from (well, maybe not Ryuji, but Akechi can tell he’s being biased from a good place at least).

 

And Akechi comes to learn that one of the biggest reasons they haven’t gone to the authorities is, well… Akira. No one would listen to them, he’d just be killed, even if he hasn’t hurt anyone (“Yet,” Akechi mumbles, but has to admit that going months without attacking humans isn’t just unheard of with Phantoms, it does against their very being). The other reason is some of the intel they’ve gathered while Palace crawling points to some possible corruption in the government, that’s leaking down into the police and even special ops like Sae’s team. Someone, or even multiple people, might be trying to figure out how to weaponize the Metaverse for more than chivalrous reasons.

 

The evidence they present Akechi is enough to sway him for the time being into not reporting them. It doesn’t take long for him to defect completely to their side, and becomes their link in to the police force.

 

(Akechi trusts the Phantom Thieves and truly is their ally, but he’s never quite able to be as comfortable around Akira as the others are. He’s just too logical, too instinctively defensive against something that quite literally humanity’s predator, and he just doesn’t understand how the others can hang around him like he’s another human. He’s able to relax somewhat when Akira is in human form, but when he begins transforming, Akechi becomes guarded and wary. It would make Akira more self-conscious if it wasn’t almost comical with the stark contrast how the others treat him like a big, harmless fluffy dog.)

 

 

His comrades soon come to learn that Akechi is a very different person when you get him to take off his mask. At first, he acts very much like he does in canon - with fake platitudes and overt politeness, all for the sake of keeping up a public image he worked so hard to create. A mature, responsible young man capable of keeping up with adults four times his age. And of course, he needed to get close to the suspected Phantom Thieves in the beginning, too.

 

But once the mask was no longer needed, it slowly began to fade in the presence of his newfound companions. He became more sincere, more honest.

 

_Which meant being pretty damn vocal about how asinine he thought they all were._

 

Despite complaining about their immaturity, rash decisions, and obnoxious behavior, Akechi genuinely cherishes the odd sort of… “family” the Phantom Thieves accepted him into. He probably doesn’t even realize it, but being an orphan and child prodigy left him without much of a childhood; he grew up too quickly and never got to be a _kid_. With the Phantom Thieves, these irritating teenagers can’t help but draw out something dormant within him, allowing him to finally let loose, relax, and actually feel like someone his age for once.

 

No, he doesn’t want to waste his evening on karaoke, he has lot of work to do. Ah, but he supposes it’s important to strengthen team bonds in order to facilitate the best possible battle coordination in the Metaverse.

 

No, he really isn’t in the mood for… what, hot pot? Ah, but he supposes instant meals are quite unhealthy, and he’s been eating those so often to stay on top of a case he’s been helping out with at the precinct.

 

That tsundere little garbage child.

 

 

 

**Yuuki Mishima**

* * *

 

What kind of Mishima stan would I be to not make note of his stance in all this?

 

Mishima’s role is largely the same - he started the Phansite early on, continues to update and post new polls, and filter forum posts of potential lost persons cases and Metaverse-reality tears. This isn’t exactly something people haven’t done before, but it’s definitely the first site people have congregated in hopes that Metaverse problems could be solved by someone other than MISER or the police. In fact, many of the site’s requests come from people who have been denied help from local law enforcement, or can’t (for whatever reason) step forward to ask for help without an anonymous mask.

 

One big difference however, is that Mishima’s suspicions of who the Phantom Thieves really are (at first, just Akira - and possibly Ann and Ryuji) go unconfirmed for quite some time. He’s just not sure _enough_ to outright ask - and by the time he’s seen enough tiny bits of evidence pile on top of each other, he’s got a whole new problem: he’s pretty sure Akira is the Phantom of the group, and is halfway scared shitless to ask.

 

Through a series of awful misunderstandings however, he unwittingly gets thrown head-first into the epicenter of everything , and becomes well acquainted with the Phantom Thieves as a trusted confidant. Due to his anxiety struggles (among other things), he deems himself far from fit to join them in their battles physically - but promises to do everything he can to support them in the real world.

 

On a bit of an odd note, Mishima and Akechi get along surprisingly well. Mostly because Mishima seems to react a bit more realistically over… Akira, in particular. While he still obviously trusts and idolizes the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he still gets pretty visibly shaken whenever Akira accidentally shows that he’s no longer human. Whereas the rest of the Thieves just continue to treat Akira like nothing is different, or, godforbid, act like something he’s done is _hilarious_ or _adorable_.

 

When Akechi gets particularly fed up with their antics and they won’t listen to reason, Mishima’s phone tends to blow up. (“They did it again. They did it again Mishima we were halfway through a Palace and Akira transformed and took down a Shadow and started playing with a severed limb and then Ryuji thought it would be hilarious to play _fetch_ with it and I can’t do this Mishima they have no sense of self preservation that’s not a goddamn _pet_ it’s a fucking _Phantom capable of tearing all of us apart_ I’m so _done_ Mishima” “akechi-kun its 3am can we maybe talk later”)

 

 

 

**Public reception**

* * *

 

Public reception of the Phantom Thieves is, as per canon, highly controversial. At first it’s purely because their actions are risky, methods unknown, and therefore could potentially cause harm to civilians if they operate outside of professional guidance (the essence of vigilantism). But their positive support plummets the instant people realize one of the members (if not more, because hell they don’t know) is a shapeshifting Phantom. The Thieves’ entire objective comes into question, even the most die-hard fans suddenly wondering if the heroes they praised were instead luring victims this entire time.

 

A few familiar faces generally stay on the supporting side of the Phantom Thieves, even if it takes them some time to come around.

 

As they save more and more people, including a perhaps someone else who became a Phantom, and yet another who became Infected and stood to be euthanized in detainment - public opinion of them steadily begins to climb back up. And people begin to wonder the true nature of the Metaverse, the creatures that lurk in the dark, and the Phantom codenamed “Joker”.

 

 

 

**Masayoshi Shido**

* * *

 

[Locked]

 

 

 

**Yaldabaoth**

* * *

 

[Locked]

 

 

 

**Cognitive Psience**

* * *

 

[Locked]

 

 

 

**Epilogue**

* * *

 

[Locked]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate constructive criticism, cherish comments, and welcome any and all questions! It's a bit of a niche AU, so I thank you for reading this far!
> 
> I will end up adding more info to the [Locked] sections later! I've got it all sorted out in my head, I'm just getting impatient with how little time I have to write with my heavy workload. For now, think of it as a little cliffhanger. 
> 
> I might also end up adding little drabbles as future chapters, and/or more snippets in this "summary" chapter if enough interest arises. 
> 
> A bit of a disclaimer though if you have questions! I'll generally stray away from romantic or sexual-based ship related questions, as this AU is polythieves (+Mishima), but I've yet to really work out how that mess of a chart would even look right now. It's more of a heavy emphasis on found family, profound friendships, and fluffy cuddling in any case. Akira is also very demisexual and demiromantic (almost ace-aro). :)
> 
> Also! Since there's been interest, I'd like to add that I'm 100% okay with anyone playing with this AU! All I ask is for a lil credit for the AU itself, and a reasonable semblance of sticking to "AU canon" if you wanna label it as such. No need to ask for permission, clarification or anything if you aren't sure about something (though you're very much welcome to); feel free to fill in gaps that aren't explicitly stated with ideas of your own, twist some minor things around, etc. Basically, if you're having fun, I'm happy!
> 
> And feel free to bother me on Twitter if ya want, I'm @Zillychu! Also Zilleniose-chu on tumblr :v


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> guess who finally finished the outline after 200 years

**Base of Operations, Leblanc, and Sojiro Sakura**

* * *

 

One major difference in this AU is that for the biggest chunk of the story, Leblanc generally avoided as much as possible. For a few good reasons!

 

Sojiro has the same role in this AU, being Akira’s guardian after the mishap with Shido. But he’s a bit more suspicious of Akira, considering the number of weird quirks the kid developed after becoming a Phantom. Does he suspect Akira has become a code red on the national terror scale? Not at all. Does he think Akira might be doing drugs, mingling with questionable people, and generally doing all sorts of things that would mess with his probation? Heck yes.

 

So they might hang out there from time to time for more laid-back things, but all Phantom Thieves related business gets handled at Ann’s place - which is, conveniently, a spacious penthouse apartment with no adults in sight. Perfect for the odd times Akira acts up and can’t be completely human for a while.

 

In addition to a more secure hideout, the Thieves also have the luxury of using the Metaverse as a stealthy shortcut, so long as Akira is around to tear holes in that reality fabric. So they’re able to, at times when it’s necessary, have Akira retrieve them all from their homes to meet up after curfew. (This is still very risky, and could very well result in a parent texting to find out where the child has gone to at 1am)

 

As for Sojiro handling finding out the identity of the Phantom Thieves - and their leader - well… it takes a bit longer for him to come around, but he insists weirder stuff has probably happened. Not that he’s too sure he believes it, but he tells himself that after Akira starts tearing into the raw meat he set aside for curry, and Morgana starts _talking_ to him.

 

**Masayoshi Shido**

* * *

 

Akechi’s asshole of an illegitimate father, using underhanded tactics to gain wealth and political traction in Japan. He openly supports and helps fund MISER, but only because he has his own team of scientists in their own separate branch conducting research specifically into how humans can use the Metaverse for personal gain.

 

It’s Shido’s vested interest in MISER that leads Akechi into training - and eventually becoming - a special ops soldier for them. Akechi claims it’s so he can one day dominate something Shido finds integral to his livelihood… but somewhere deep down, he also still simply yearns for his father’s attention and approval. Even if he detests the very ground Shido walks on.

 

Unfortunately, Akechi nor Sae are privy to the kind of experiments Shido’s men conduct within the bowels of MISER, though they both begin suspecting someone is pulling ill-gotten strings somewhere.

 

They find out far too late that Shido had successfully found the “wires” of the Metaverse - Momentos.

 

Within Momentos are the very lifelines of cognition, a bit like one giant brain of a conscious collective. It was for this insight he killed Futaba’s mother: a scientist working for him who single-handedly found this breakthrough, and was prepared to burn her work in fear it would be used for nefarious purposes. Shido caught on, and she wasn’t fast enough.

 

Though unable to manipulate Momentos completely, Shido’s men were successfully found a way to “nudge” it. They invented a supercomputer built just for this purpose - the Holy Grail - to connect directly into the veins of Momentos to slowly, over time, gently urge the populace to sway their opinions on certain matters. Matters like Shido’s reputation, their faith in him as a politician, etc.

 

Of course, this “mental nudging” works better on some people more than others. People who are complacent, don’t like thinking for themselves, and/or _want_ what the message entails succumb to it easiest. People who desire a leader to think for them quickly latch onto the idea of Shido becoming Prime Minister.

 

It was after Shido finally began manipulating Momentos, that Yaldabaoth noticed him.

 

**Yaldabaoth**

* * *

 

Still with somewhat humble origins, Yaldabaoth was a Phantom “born” from a human whose history and identity have long since been lost to time. Though not fundamentally different like Akira is, Yaldabaoth has somehow been able to fight what’s considered “natural” Phantom instincts and stave off from attacking humans.

 

They have, instead, spent hundreds of years feasting on Shadows and other Phantoms in the Metaverse. And in doing so, grew powerful enough to become a veritable god, whose Palace is… unconventional.

 

Palaces are generally just as intangible as any other form of “property” you find real estate-wise. It just so happens that the place a Phantom stakes as their own means they have considerable power within that realm - which is why MISER always tries to lure Phantoms out of their Palaces if they’re hiding there. Fighting on their terf is something only the Phantom Thieves have been able to accomplish.

 

Palaces have always had the potential to pop up within one another (If one Phantom considered a park their Palace, and another appeared who considered a campsite within that park their Palace) - but they just… never had at this point, considering their rarity. And if they did, the Phantom with the encompassing Palace (IE the park) would instantly know of the intruder (IE the campsite), and go to get into a territorial brawl.

 

Bigger Palaces don’t always mean more power, but more power can mean a bigger Palace. And though they still have the urge to feed off of humans, Yaldabaoth was able to piece together just enough sanity to realize that attacking the populace is the quickest way to be noticed, and killed.  

 

So they stayed within the Metaverse, slowly but safely expanding their Palace. And that’s when they noticed Shido.

 

Shido, despite being a mere human, found a way into Mementos and control it. With that ability, Yaldabaoth could alter cognition to spread more rapidly, unhindered by suspicious minds in MISER.

 

Thus, Yaldabaoth killed their first human. Masayoshi Shido.

 

With the memory gone of who they were before turning into a Phantom, Yaldabaoth easily claims Shido’s form as their own. They infiltrate the human realm carrying on Shido’s work, carefully nudging humanity into trusting the face of Shido, and to ignore certain suspicious Phantom activity.

 

In a mere six years, Yaldabaoth’s Palace covers _nearly all of Japan_.

 

Once Yaldabaoth finishes spreading their territory into Tokyo, they’ll have successfully staked claim to an entire nation. And with a collective culture under their foot… Yaldabaoth would gain considerable power over Momentos. Not only would they becoming a nigh unstoppable force, but they’d also gain the power to alter cognition at will within their Palace. Rinse, repeat, and soon you’ve got the entire world brainwashed under Yaldabaoth’s rule, like mindless cattle ripe for the picking.

 

**MISER HQ**

* * *

 

It’s around the time that Futaba joins the fray, that the Thieves start getting an odd feeling. Is it just them, or do some people they run into seem… weird? A bit like zombies? Maybe they just have a knack for finding Tokyo’s most exhausted or drunk weirdos.

 

But after Akechi has (shakily) been recruited, things get a little stickier. He divulges his suspicions with MISER, which may or may not have something to do with the overall change they’ve been seeing in the population. It’s a stretch, but each time they see a noticeable difference (after both Haru and Akechi’s Metaverse adventures and subsequent recruitment), there seems to be a big upset at MISER as well.

 

They end up pursuing Sae due to her ties with the Director in charge of managing Shido’s little “pet project” involving the Metaverse, and mess up big time. Sae figures out who the Phantom Thieves are, and that Akechi is now in cahoots with them; but thankfully, she hears them out and decides that they could be possible allies. She makes sure Akira knows he’s walking a very thin line, but she helps them due to her own uneasy feeling she gets from the Director.

 

With Sae’s help, they’re able to infiltrate the deepest levels of MISER HQ (a feat usually easy with Metaverse travel, but their security is understandably able to detect them there), and ultimately find out what Shido’s been cooking.

 

At the bottom of MISER, is a man-made portal to Mementos. As well as Shido himself, who they not only find to be the mastermind behind the cognitive shift in Japan, but is also exhibiting signs of being Infected.

 

A fight breaks out, as Shido supposedly succumbs to the Infection, and becomes a Phantom right then and there. The Thieves struggle, and soon realize that their usual tactics aren’t working. Normally, when they weaken a Phantom enough, Akira is able to “eat” the Phantom and leave the human host unharmed - but now, he can’t seem to manage it.

 

It leaves them with only one choice; retreat and let a Phantom rampage through the unguarded underbelly of MISER, their best line of defense against Phantoms as a whole - or kill him.

 

Akechi is the one to ultimately make the decision. He takes his father down, but not without remorse. He barely holds himself together when he finally plunges his sword through Shido’s chest, breaking down as his new friends reach out to support him.

 

As much as he hated his father, he wished for a better ending than this.

 

**Saving the World (and Other Fun Teen Activities)**

* * *

 

The Thieves barely make it out of MISER HQ with Sae’s help, and hand her the info Futaba was able to snag. It doesn’t take long before everyone involved in Shido’s experiments are apprehended, and the project is shut down due to safety. After Shido’s Infection, it’s unclear if prolonged exposure to Mementos, with its abnormally high density of Desire, could result in more Phantoms.

 

So the project ends, and the Holy Grail is shut down. All should be well with the world.

 

But… over the next week, the Thieves notice that the complacent attitude plaguing the population isn’t getting better, it’s getting _worse_.

 

Akira and Morgana are especially sensitive to the change, feeling extremely uneasy. But as much as they sniff around the Metaverse, they can’t seem to get any closer, or further, from the intangible source.

 

It’s Makoto who brings up the idea of heading into Mementos. They can’t go to Sae for help again though, considering she’s under some pretty heavy surveillance after her suspicious activity that lead to Shido’s experiment being uncovered.

 

That’s when an unexpected hero emerges. Sojiro Sakura.

 

Revealing that he used to work for MISER back in the day (it’s how he met Futaba’s mother, after all), he volunteers to be their ace in the hole. Which… roughly translates to “go into MISER under the guise of being some washed up veteran trying to prove himself worthy of re-hiring, fumble around and accidentally fudge up the security for a very brief window of time”.

 

He trusts the kids know what they’re doing. Or at least, he really really hopes so because he doesn’t tell them he might very well get detained for this.

 

With Sojiro’s help, the Thieves are able to make it to the basement once more, and Futaba is able to get the Holy Grail working just long enough to reactivate the portal.

 

Success! The moment they’re inside, Akira and Morgana can tell they’re definitely going in the right direction. Only, after they traverse to the depths, they weren’t expecting to find a very alive, totally not dead Masayoshi Shido.

 

And, well, it turns out there was a reason why Akira couldn’t cleanse the Phantom from him. It’s because he’s been a Phantom for so long, his humanity - both figuratively and literally - died long, long ago.

 

And the thing they tried to fight before wasn’t Shido in the first place - they introduce themselves as Yaldabaoth.

 

‘Cause hey, not like it matters if the Phantom Thieves know who Yaldabaoth is. The Phantom-turned-god is just about ready to complete their Ultimate World Domination™ plan anyway.

 

Turning off the Holy Grail wasn’t enough anymore. Yaldabaoth had their grip on Mementos, and was growing stronger by the second. At this point, the fabric of reality itself was starting to bend to the god’s will, and pieces of the Metaverse (including Mementos) were starting to merge with the real world.

 

Either Yaldabaoth was stopped now, or humanity was about to face a very, very grim future.

 

In true RPG endgame fashion, their pursuit of Yaldabaoth lands them in the sky above a frantic Tokyo, where they quickly realize they’re horribly outmatched. This was a Phantom (a god) that spent _hundreds of years_ growing stronger.

 

It doesn’t take long for them to get backed in a corner, and Akira snaps.

 

It was the final nail in the coffin. Everyone except Akechi had seen what happens when Akira allows himself to be more Phantom than human. He did what any other Phantom would do back then: ignore Phantoms and Shadows in favor of the much easier human prey within his reach.

 

 

Except, this time… he doesn’t.

 

Except, this time, he reaches his full 100% shift, and retains every ounce of his mind. He’s even able to _communicate_ , though it’s a bit less like talking, and a little more like invasive telepathy.

 

Having held on tight to the voices of his friends and his burning desire to protect, Akira was able to grasp the latent power inside him and control it. Now more than able to give Yaldabaoth a run for their money, they attack once more.

 

And of course, even a Phantom with hundreds of years under their belt, and the power of Mementos under their foot, couldn’t stand a chance against a fledgling Phantom with ~the power of friendship~ on his side.

 

They defeat Yaldabaoth, and get to deal with the aftermath of Japan slowly shifting back to normal as people panic even more now that Yaldabaoth’s complacency spell is no longer in effect.

 

But hey, things could be worse.

 

**Epilogue**

* * *

 

The Phantom Thieves don’t disappear, the Metaverse continues to exist, and Akira gains just about complete control over his Phantom self. But after the events of fighting Yaldabaoth, the public becomes aware of what kind of danger they were in, and that the Phantom Thieves were the ones to stop it.

 

Sae becomes an ambassador of sorts, relaying information from the Thieves to MISER - specifically, how to save those who have turned into Phantoms, and _how to fight back_. The threat of Shadows and general dangers of the Metaverse don’t disappear, but the outlook is much, much more manageable - a massive turning point in history.

 

Still, sometimes shit happens, and things get a little out of hand. Nothing a famous band of vigilantes can’t fix.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**! EXTRAS  !**

_(Subsequent chapters will be unorganized tidbits of information, sometimes from direct questions and comments)_

* * *

 

**The “Rattled” status effect**

* * *

 

Being “Rattled” effects the humans of the Phantom Thieves the same way as always, but it’s a bit different with Phantoms…

 

 

**Akira’s progress**

* * *

 

Akira gains much more control over his Phantom self after the Yaldabaoth incident. He doesn’t have nearly as much unintentional slip-ups in the real world, physically speaking. All Phantom “instincts” are still intact, but he gets progressively better at controlling and hiding those.

 

He still tends to cap himself at his 50% form, because that’s more or less effortless for him. He can however, in times of real danger, actually exceed his 50% without much fear of turning rogue on his teammates or any other humans. It’s still kinda hit-or-miss though; he’s never too sure how much he can retain control and become unpredictable or too destructive. (He doesn’t have to try and attack his teammates head-on, merely going nuts on an enemy like that can often be risky)

 

This control can be better managed with a few things: low stress, being well-fed… and being in or near his Palace.

 

He already had a Proto-Palace form at Leblanc right around the time Haru joined (after he went berserk and attacked his friends). But that’s since been destroyed after the Thieves infiltrated it and got him to come out of his little hole of self-loathing.

 

This Palace is different; considering how Akira differs from other Phantom, it stands to reason that his fully-formed Palace could be different under the right circumstances. Soon after defeating Yaldabaoth, his conviction to protect forms a Palace over the whole of Tokyo.

 

Since it didn’t form out of distorted desires or emotions, it behaves differently. MISER can’t detect it yet (other than some weird vague readings), and it’s not an oppressive atmosphere that breeds Shadows. They do still pop up, there just isn’t a massive “nest” that spews them out like there’s a den of Shadow rabbits in there.

 

Since it’s such a large area and Akira isn’t nearly as old as Yaldabaoth, he can’t really keep surveillance of the entire place like the former “god” could for the whole of Japan. He has to really concentrate and have a good image in mind of what a place looks like. And as he grows older and more experienced, he gains more power and more control over that pocket of the Metaverse. And, like Yaldabaoth did, he slowly gains the ability to expand his Palace.

 

In a perfect world, he could cover… well, the world. He’d be able to better manage the number of Shadows, be able to tell when people fall into the Metaverse and help them. But the idea of having such control doesn’t sit well with him - he worries about following in Yaldabaoth’s footsteps somehow. He’s already pretty territorial over such a gigantic city.

 

He might expand his Palace to a few more places… but just a few.

 

(And just because he has better control over his Phantom form doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his moments of being a half-minded beast like before. The Thieves are never quite sure if he’s legitimately not in control, or he’s just being a little shit.)

  


**! Q &A ! **

_(If you asked a question and it’s not on here, it most likely got answered already elsewhere!)_

* * *

_Anonymous asked: _

**Oh my GOD I love your phantom AU! I just had a few questions regarding "desire" in your AU: since desire is what's slowly turning Akira/MC into his phantom form, does that mean that other, more conventional desires like hunger, loneliness and lust also trigger a change? And does Akira have an increased urge to satiate his other desires, like an increased sex-drive, appetite or need to be around his friends? (I guess that Big Bang Burger challenge would make more sense, huh) Thanks a bunch!**

 

Yup! Akira can move back and forth between 0% (appearing completely human on the outside) to 50% (his “full” form for all intents and purposes). And his personal emotions have a huge role in that. Anything linked to what you’d call “desire” can make it harder for him to keep his Phantom side under wraps.

 

As for affecting the intensity of his desires, only a few are affected. Namely, instincts Phantoms usually have! He battles hunger - both for negative human emotions (a bit like a poltergeist in that sense), and for, uh… humans. He’s pretty good at keeping this under wraps, and it probably helps that he develops a taste for raw meat, something that’s just suitable enough of a substitute. Usually. A good chunk of his part-time job money goes to restocking the fridge at Leblanc before Sojiro notices an entire beef flank is missing.

 

Less immediately noticeable, he starts getting very territorial. Phantoms tend to guard their Palaces with ferocity, but Akira doesn’t have one due to his lack of distorted desires upon turning (though he does get a proto-Palace at one point). So he kind of… starts viewing other things as his territory, like he’s trying to fill a void. He’s extremely protective of his found-family, Leblanc, his school, and other places of significance in his life. Sometimes annoyingly so.

 

 

_Anonymous asked: _

**oh goodness i love akira's fluffbutt! does he molt ever once in awhile? it must p pretty itchy and frustrating, poor dude**

 

He does! Not as bad as a bird would, but he does get periods where he loses more feathers than usual, and it gets pretty itchy and irritating. Makes him more easily agitated, at least until his friends decide to take an hour in a safe room grooming him. Then he’s nothing but a mess of a content puddle, purring to high heaven.

 

 

[ _fenerismoon_ ](http://fenerismoon.tumblr.com) _asked:     _                

**Another question about the Phantom AU, so I’m assuming Morgana makes all their equipment, but does he make their costumes too? Or does he just provide protective components. The former is probably more likely, but I do like the idea that part of their bonding time is spent repairing and upgrading their costumes. (Ryuji even asked his mom to teach him how to sew.)**

 

**On the other hand, if he does make the costumes whole, does this then mean he has complete control over what everyone wears? Like, the fact Ann is prancing about it a latex dominatrix getup is entirely due to Morgana’s taste in fashion? Or is more than the nature of what he creates more based on what desires he absorbs and then expels? Or, more likely, is it somewhere in between.**

 

**That also raises the question as to whether Akira has to carry Morgana around to different places to “harvest” different desires. But that’s a whole other ask…**

 

Morgana just “enchants” pre-existing objects, but often times, this enchantment means the equipment changes form in the Metaverse! It’s a bit like he can imbue something with the ability to absorb the user’s willpower. So things _usually_ tend to transform into stuff that matches the user well, both in style and in fighting style.

 

So unfortunately, they don’t really spend time designing and repairing their Phantom Thief costumes. But they DO still have to learn how to sew and repair things, because major damage in the Metaverse = noticeable damage in the real world. If Ryuji gets his pirate costume torn up, he’s got a shirt and pants to mend later.

 

As a side note, Morgana can enchant multiple items to transform into the same thing, if given enough time! A bit like using the same particular spell. So the Thieves end up getting a few pairs of clothes (including both school uniforms) that can shift into their Thief gear.

 

Also note that these transformation spells work best on items that are at least somewhat similar to the form they’re going to take after transformation. So pants = pants, swords = swords, guns = guns,  etc. Iwai’s shop is still indispensable to them.

 

(Morgana eventually gains the skill to enchant equipment that can transform _outside_ of the Metaverse too, which ends up being crucial near the end of the story!)

 

 

[ _fenerismoon_ ](https://fenerismoon.tumblr.com/) _asked: _

**You know, with your Phantom AU you mention Akechi finds the Phantom Thieves very immature. I can just see a scene where they point out that he's the one with the golden epaulets, ray gun, and laser sword. And his response is basically an indignant "This is cutting edge military technology!"**

 

[ For people that call themselves Akechi’s “friends”, they sure do love to tease him into a frothing rage ](https://twitter.com/Zillychu/status/878852815287975936).

 

 

_No one asked: _

**What's Phantom AU about anyway**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for the basic outline! 
> 
> If anyone has any questions, critique, etc, please feel free to leave a comment with it! You can also message me on Twitter (@Zillychu or @Zilleniose), tumblr (zilleniose-chu), or whisper into a cardboard tube on the night of a full moon and I'll take a voicemail
> 
> I'll make subsequent chapter "updates" based on these questions to fill out little gaps of info within the story. :)
> 
>  
> 
> [I've also made a Discord server just for this AU! Quite a lot of people joined so click here to come join the party! ](https://t.co/WsvS1k2Kne)


	3. Chapter 3

**The Beach Episode**

* * *

 

True to anime fashion, the Thieves still take a trip to the beach! The first time is for Futaba, the second time is after all party members have been acquired, and they get to relax at a private beach owned by Haru’s family.

 

Considering there are no prying eyes this time, it doesn’t take long for both Morgana and Akira to shift to their Phantom forms. For Morgana, it’s to snag barbeque and snacks easier. Being bipedal has its advantages when you’re having fun with friends!

 

For Akira… he didn’t plan on it, but he went swimming with everyone and _boy_ there were a lot of really fast fish swimming all around and he wants to chase, he’s gotta chase, and oh what the hell it’s not like anyone else is around!

 

Akira starts dragging things in from the ocean that really shouldn’t be removed from the ocean. But they have a really interesting barbeque later that night at least! Almost makes up for the fact that Akira smells like wet dog for 3 hours.

 

 

**Power-ups & Catnip**

* * *

 

Being Phantoms that get their power from different sources, it stands to reason that both Akira and Morgana can get “power boosts” from a couple of things, both in and outside of the Metaverse.

 

One would be their weird version of emotional “feeding”. A party member can choose to sacrifice a bit of themselves to give their Phantom teammates a hand. This means letting them eat a large quantity of some negative emotion (something they usually do very slowly and carefully, so it’s not too noticeable). This results in varying status effects, or drained SP.

 

The other type is restricted only to Akira, and is… well, the more literal kind of feeding. Sacrificing an amount of blood (that translates to HP) can boost his attack power. The reason this doesn’t work with Morgana is due to his dietary preference - he’d rather have raw fish than raw human.

 

Oh, you wanted to know what power catnip has? Sorry, it’s not really a buff - it’s just something that works really well on both Akira and Morgana. They love-hate the stuff because it makes them a blissful, drooling, embarrassing mess.

  


**! Q &A ! **

_(If you asked a question and it’s not on here, it most likely got answered already elsewhere!)_

* * *

 

_[ Frostpebble ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostpebble/pseuds/Frostpebble) asked: _

**Also a question! Yaldabaoth lived for hundreds of years; does being a Phantom give Akira a longer lifespan too? Does he keep aging like a normal human? It would be tragic if he outlived his friends, since protecting them IS his desire...sorry for the sad question omg.**

 

As much as I’m the first person to dump immortality on a beloved character and watch the ensuing millennia of suffering and existentialism, I’m going to leave this open-ended.

 

Phantoms are… essentially immortal. They’re more compromised of intangible things like desire and consciousness, more magic and less mortal flesh. So it’s plausible to say that since Akira is a full Phantom (albeit a weird one), he would be immortal too; and since he’s pretty formidable, there isn’t much that would be able to erase him.

 

But on the flip-side, he’s a Phantom who retained most of his humanity. So you could also argue that he kept his human lifespan. Or you could even have the worst of both worlds and say his existence is directly linked to what makes up the Metaverse - cognition. As soon as he’s completely gone from all thoughts and memories, that’s when he finally dies.

 

So, pick your poison. I personally won’t be focusing too much on things that late in the game (probably).

 

_[ Infestation ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Infestation/pseuds/Infestation) asked: _

**This is so cool~ But I see it tagged as "implied polythieves" and all I can think is Akira at 50%, all big and poofy and curled up in Anne's spacious living room, covered in sleeping thieves.**

**So, what would it actually be like? And how much would Akechi let himself be dragged into it?**

 

This 100% happens, and it happens a lot. Akira is a frequent flirt with those he loves the most, and he loved cuddling even before he became a Phantom. Or at least he’s pretty sure he was - not that he really had anyone to cuddle with before moving to Tokyo.

 

Their relationship is a bit all over the place, so here’s a handy chart!

 

 

Just note that they all do care for one another in their own way, but this points out the more prominent or noteworthy relationships.

 

Morgana and Yusuke are both asexual-aromantic. Yusuke has no qualms with joining in sexual escapades, but he… tends to get distracted too easily. He’s more likely to grab a sketch pad in the middle of something and decide his friends are _much_ too gorgeous not to capture their beauty on paper.

 

Morgana is all for cuddles and lil kitty kisses, but the second someone’s pants come off he’s outta there to give them space.

 

Futaba’s not quite ready for anything past platonic affection. Plus, she’s kind of everyone’s little sister. She’s forever frustrated over how attractive she finds certain members though.

 

Akechi… will deny that inconspicuous red line there till his dying breath. He’s 3000% tsundere and will insist that no matter what anyone _thinks_ , those bite marks are from fighting Shadows, and he has No Idea how Akira is in possession of one of his shirts.

 

He’s also only caught in the cuddle pile after someone forcibly drags him there. His half-hearted groans and weak struggles are very discernable from his “no I’m actually serious, don’t touch me” denials of affection, and he’s only spared if it’s the latter.

 

_[ Gale_Breeze ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Gale_Breeze/pseuds/Gale_Breeze) asked: _

**Does anything change about the confidants, or are they generally the exact same?**

 

Generally, they’re the same! One big difference is that Takemi learns about Akira being a Phantom pretty early on, and even ends up treating him in his 50% form a time or two, after some brutal fights.

 

Oh, and Mishima is _actually_ as gay as he seemed in the game. And is a frequent target of Akira’s flirting (once he’s more comfortable with everything) because his flustered reactions are too precious to pass up. It still takes him way too long to realize his one-sided crush isn’t so one-sided.

 

  
_[Gale_Breeze](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Gale_Breeze/pseuds/Gale_Breeze) asked: _

**When in human form, does Akira put people on edge? Like, is he human in that weird uncanny valley way, or is it a perfect disguise?**

 

When he’s well fed and in a good mood, not too much. But if he’s hungry, upset, or is very close to/inside the Metaverse, he’s _extremely_ unsettling. Not that anyone can really figure out why. People just tend to get a vague feeling of unease, that something isn’t right, and that things… aren’t safe. Even his close friends will feel this, but they’re much better at realizing what that foreboding sensation is, and that it’s nothing to worry about. It’s still there, just more under wraps.

 

Unless Akira lets his human form physically slip (which has happened!), there’s really no reason for anyone to think he’s not human. The average person would never put two and two together and think that their suddenly jumpy nerves are thanks to that brooding kid sitting in the corner.

 

_[Gale_Breeze](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Gale_Breeze/pseuds/Gale_Breeze) asked: _

**What's the deal with the Velvet Room? Does it just not exist, or what?**

 

It does not, no! Personas are not part of this AU, so the Velvet Room is moot. Igor and the twins might very well be around though, just with a different purpose…

 

_Banankos asked: _

**do you think, since the instinct to hunt and find prey still exists but Akira tries to redirect it to less human-eating outlets, he'd bring home 'gifts' a la outdoor cats bringing home mice. except bigger. he brings a deer back one time and sojiro flips his lid**

 

If this was a more rural area, he’d definitely have the urge to go after animals - but even if given the chance, he most likely wouldn’t unless really desperate. He loves animals! He’d be especially upset about mutilating anything cute and/or harmless if it was just to scratch an itch.

 

He has, however, brought back some… Shadow “presents”. Only a few times. By the time he’s out of the Metaverse, he’s usually regained some rationality (since the exposure to Desire makes him more feral), but there are handfuls of times that sense of self is lost for longer periods. The Phantom Thieves are good about holding him up in Ann’s apartment when that happens, but sometimes it’s less noticeable or he slips through their fingers.

 

Sojiro is a precious, small squishy human incapable of taking down hefty prey, so he _has_ to help! The blood stains in his foyer however, were not appreciated in the slightest.

 

 

_Banankos asked: _

**since he's a winged phantom, did he ever try to learn to fly? because the image of a giant feather-monster crashing into a palace's outer walls trying to fly is way too hilarious for me**

 

Flying came naturally to him in his 50% form! It did take practice to really master it though; he didn’t have much finesse in the beginning. He was just a big fluffy battering ram for the most part when in the air.

 

But, fun fact: he can hide his wings completely! It’s most comfortable to him to have them “out”, so that’s his default - but if the Thieves are in tight quarters (or at least tighter than normal for his big butt), he can absorb them into his body. It’s a fairly quick process, but there are some gross crunching noises as bones rearrange right before they liquify, or… do whatever they do in there.

 

Most Palaces are structures like castles and whatnot, so flying isn’t usually needed. But some Palaces are open areas like forests, amusement parks, even fantastical things like cloud cities or flying turtles! Flying becomes a better commodity in Palaces like those, giant halls/rooms, or for easy infiltration points.

 

_Efelkay asked: _

**so like, whats the deal with the palace rulers (kamoshida, madarame, etc, not random phantoms) in this au?? if palaces are strictly a phantom thing, are they phantoms?? because i feel like that wouldnt make much sense since phantoms are supposedly rare and it'd probably be really fucking weird if like ten of them all popped up in tokyo within a year, with most of them being famous people in power.**

 

A fantastic question! There are a few factors here in play that I was eager to elaborate on:

 

One, is that many of the canon Palace Rulers? They’re Infected at the time the Phantom Thieves move to take care of them. Which means they’re well on their way, but they aren’t _quite_ Phantoms yet! But thankfully, as Phantoms themselves, both Akira and Morgana can sense/sniff out Infected people.

 

As an Infected, these people lose much of their rationale, and become obscenely driven by their distorted desires. They’re dangerous, but they won’t attack people yet.

 

And - as hinted in chapter 1 - there are these places called Proto-Palaces. They’re like the shell of an egg forming before the yolk; they house and attract nearby Shadows, but they don’t produce Shadows yet until they morph into a full Palace.

 

A Proto-Palace needs the presence of its maker physically within it, as a completed Phantom, to become a completed Palace. And just like a Palace, if the Proto-Palace has its core (it’s Treasure) destroyed, it disappears and cannot become a Shadow nest.

 

This is crucial when the Phantom Thieves can’t immediately find, or deal with someone who is Infected. They can still minimize the damage done (the more Shadows in the Metaverse, the more likely someone is to get hurt when those pockets form), and find out more about the person it belongs to. The core Treasure has memories, thoughts and emotions attached to it. By finding out what made the person become Infected (exactly what distorted desires drove them), they can find out weaknesses - or even ways to help that person before they become a Phantom.

 

In the case of Kamoshida, he became a Phantom before the Thieves could do anything. Madarame was caught before he fully turned, but only because the Thieves found his Proto-Palace, and the Sayuri painting within. They were then able to do some detective work to find Yusuke, and his crooked mentor. (It’s a bit backwards compared to the canon game!)

 

Kaneshiro was found thanks to his Proto-Palace, but he still ended up turning into a full Phantom before the Thieves could get to him. Futaba also had a Proto-Palace, but they got to her well before her Infection took over. Okumura had already become a Phantom much like Kamoshida, and Nijima was only Infected (though her Infection was the first clue they found that the outbreak of Infections might be deliberate, orchestrated by someone). And Shido… well, he’s got his own story, back in chapter 2.

 

But still, this begs the question - if Phantoms are supposed to be rare, how could there be so many Infected in Tokyo, in such a short amount of time? This is due to Yaldabaoth’s influence; with their hold on Mementos, the elder “god” has been able to siphon a large amount of Desire in order to give him more power, and eventually the ability to stake claim to Tokyo. But this abnormally high amount of Desire also resulted in more Infected.

 

And speaking of Proto-Palaces… Akira actually gets one of his own! Right after they recruit Haru and take on Phantom Okumura, Akira hits his 65% form and ends up tearing the Phantom from Okumura… but also goes berserk and nearly kills his teammates. This self-loathing and crippling guilt ends up with him running off somewhere (even away from Leblanc), and the Thieves find him by Morgana sniffing out his Proto-Palace. They find his Treasure, and learn just how much he’s been kicking himself down. They find him and knock some sense into him, though - with plenty of group hugs and tears.

 

 

_Theskittypink asked: _

**Oh shit**

**What about akiras parents**

 

This is honestly the only way to ask about them, isn’t it?

 

Akira does get sent home when his probation is up, along with Morgana. He spends a grand total of six months back home before he’s able to convince his parents to let him stay at Sojiro’s place to work and finish up high school.

 

Akira didn’t have an awful relationship with his parents per se, but after the probation incident, a bridge was burned. Irreparable, for the time being. He lost faith and trust in his parents, who doubted his innocence and even sent him away when they couldn’t bear the social scrutiny they got from the rumors.

 

His parents, on some level, understand what they did was wrong, and that they hurt their son in ways they couldn’t see at first. They reach out, but… they’re hesitant to reach all the way due to their guilt, and a bit of their pride.

 

Their relationship isn’t the worst, but it’s far from “good”. So after six months of moping, and hearing from Sojiro that he’d love to have the kid back - they decide to do what’s best for their son, at least this once.

 

Those six months he was back home, they noticed he was different. Caught him talking to that weird cat that Sojiro insisted was good for his mental health, helped teach him responsibility and whatnot. Akira was both more sure of himself, but also reserved in ways they couldn’t pinpoint. In the end, they chalked it up to the stress of the probation… but there’s always a silent question, like they can tell Akira has weird quirks now and doesn’t “feel” quite normal, but they never discuss it. At least, not to Akira’s knowledge.

 

Perhaps they know. Maybe they don’t. Either way, they don’t confront him.

 

In the end, Akira never goes back. He visits, gives them calls, but never moves back home. He snags an apartment with a couple of the other Phantom Thieves after graduation, and goes to college somewhere close enough for all of them to still see each other regularly. He eventually inherits Leblanc along with Futaba, but that’s another story for another time.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has any questions, critique, etc, please feel free to leave a comment with it! You can also message me on Twitter (@Zillychu or @Zilleniose), tumblr (zilleniose-chu), or whisper into a cardboard tube on the night of a full moon and I'll take a voicemail
> 
> I'll make subsequent chapter "updates" based on these questions to fill out little gaps of info within the story. :)
> 
>  
> 
> [I've also made a Discord server just for this AU! Quite a lot of people joined so click here to come join the party! ](https://t.co/WsvS1k2Kne)


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